HANDLING STONES IN THE MEAL 

We were enjoying a great meal of rice, beans, plantain, and chicken. While savouring the sumptuous meal, my teeth had an unwelcoming crunch on a stone. I could not swallow the meal nor continue to munch on it. I stopped and walked from the meal to the nearest bin to spill the whole meal in my mouth. But I still returned to the meal to finish it all. The fact that there was a tiny stone in a spoon does not mean it is a meal full of stones. 

One of the finest things about relating with people is that disagreements can be like your teeth meeting a piece of pebble. It should not be the end of the relationship. Deal with the pebbles and move on with the great meal. The only time it becomes a major issue is when it becomes a pebble in every spoonful of meals. You know that is a pattern. 

This is also one of the amazing things about our Christian faith. A Christian may not be perfect, but he also does not take pride in shortcomings and sin. He deals with it decisively. 

What are the chances that you will knock your feet against a stone on a short walk? Maybe a little chance. But if you return to tell us that you knocked your feet against the stone ten times on a short walk, we would conclude that you were practicing football (or soccer). 

Beloved, do not make a pattern of sinning and justify it. That is no longer you falling into temptation; you are already swimming in it. A driver who keeps using the car to hit every obstacle cannot claim to be making a mistake. There is something more that is not right. Do not make a pattern of sinning and say it is a mistake. 

John the Beloved told us: 

Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.

1 John 3:6, 8-9 NLT

And for the married ones, there may be pebbles that show up once in a while. Do not throw away your home. Address the issue and return to enjoying your marriage. Do not keep the pebble in your mouth. Do not store the issue in your heart. If you keep the pebble in your mouth, you cannot take another spoon of the meal. If you keep offences in your heart, you will not be open to receiving your spouse’s love. Throw out the pebble. Throw out the offence. Focus on the sweet meal.